1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for inducing air flow past a product which may be vaporized in order to aid distribution of the product into the environment.
Many products, such as room deodorizers, insecticides, germicides and the like, which are desirably distributed in vapor form in their environment are now manufactured in solid or semi-solid form, for example, as a gel. Products in solid or liquid form have also been impregnated in porous and microporous materials. In both packaging forms, the products are released into the environment in which they are exposed by a vaporization process such as evaporation or sublimination.
Though most products of the type described above are now used merely by exposing them in the environment to be treated, it is preferable in certain applications to induce greater distribution of the product than is possible by this technique. If an apparatus is provided to induce this greater distribution, it is desirable to house the apparatus compactly and conveniently so that when exhausted, the product can be easily replenished and so that access to the components of the apparatus may be easily provided. And the apparatus should be mountable in small areas yet still offer the above features.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Systems for inducing air currents past products which can be vaporized to assure greater and more even product distribution are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,848 (Corris), assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses a system having an apparatus which includes a housing that defines a cartridge receiving chamber, and a motor driven fan mounted in the housing. A cartridge, which includes a mass of product capable of being vaporized and a battery for powering the fan, is adapted to be inserted into the cartridge receiving chamber of the housing. When the cartridge is so inserted, the battery is connected to the fan which thus induces air flow through the cartridge, past the mass of product, and out of the housing.
The housing disclosed in the Corris Patent Application is a simple box-like container having an open bottom into which a cartridge is inserted. The container is designed to rest on a horizontal surface such as a table, shelf or the like. Furthermore, contacts for connecting the battery to the motor-driven fan are mounted on one interior wall of the housing out of the path of air flow conducted through the cartridge receiving cavity.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,451 (Tringali), also assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses a refinement of the Corris system. The Tringali system includes a cartridge which contains both a battery and a support of strip material in which a product to be vaporized is impregnated. The strip material has a convoluted configuration to expose a large amount of its surface area to air currents. This cartridge may be inserted into a simple housing having two sections hinged at one edge in clamshell fashion. The housing, therefore, occupies significantly more lateral space when one of its sections is opened from the other than it does when closed.
The Tringali system also includes electrical contacts for connecting the battery to a motor-driven fan and structure for supporting the cartridge.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,522,935 (Lewis) discloses an air treatment device which has an oscillating vane that effects a steady current of air over a wick which projects out of the container of liquid deodorant. This device is housed in a wall mounted container having a removable front cover.